Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - Ariadne

Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

48 reviews

idk_indigo's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book took me a really long time to read. It wasn't bad, and I quite enjoyed it when I was able to read for stretches of time. The pacing was all over the place, the first 1/4 felt alright, then the 2nd 1/4 was so slow I thought I might never finish it, then the 3rd 1/4 picked up, then the last few chapters I sort of just checked out. I think the author took "show not tell" to the extreme but instead of showing us or telling us she did neither. I was very confused at times, but also I am partially chalking that up to the fact that, again, it took me a really long time to read.

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leweylibrary's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The number one thing to learn from this book: Never trust a god, and DEFINITELY never trust a man. Jeeeeeez.

But seriously, I really enjoyed this one, especially the relationship between Ariadne and her sister. I do kind of wish it would've slowed down a bit once they were separated and given some more detail on what their lives were like, especially the sister. And my goodness what a depressing ending lol.

Quotes:

What I did not know was that I had hit upon a truth of womanhood: however blameless a life we led, the passions and the greed of men could bring us to ruin, and there was nothing we could do. (12)
No longer was my world one of brave heroes; I was learning all too swiftly the women's pain that throbbed unspoken through the tales of their feats. (13)
I only knew Medusa as a monster. I had not thought she had ever been anything else. The stories of Perseus did not allow for a Medusa with a story of her own. (13)
I would be Medusa, if it came to it, I resolved. If the gods held me accountable one day for the sins of someone else, if they came for me to punish a man's actions, I would not hide away like Pasiphae. I would wear that coronet of snakes, and the world would shrink from me instead. (14)
What the gods liked was ferocity, savagery, the snarl and the bite and the fear. Always, always the fear, the naked edge of it behind the smoke, rising from the altars, the high note of it in the muttered prayers and praise we sent heavenward, the deep, primal taste of it when we raised the knife above the sacrificial offering.
Our fear. That was how the gods grew great. (17)
Theseus had not left me because I was at fault or because I did not matter. He had left because, to him, nothing mattered at all. Beyond the cold pursuit of his own fame. I would not let a man who knew the value of nothing. Make me doubt the value of myself. (179)
"I want no gift that I give you to be so transient. And so I took it from your head, where it can only look a doll in comparison to your radiance, and I put it somewhere it will shine forever."
... In the eternity of night, I saw the brand new pinpricks of light that shone in a sweeping arc. The luster of my crown was now a fiery illumination against the darkness.
"Just as you will never lose me, you will never lose your crown," his arms wrapped tightly around me. "Your coronet will guide sailors to safety through the labyrinth of the treacherous seas. Women will look to it for a sign of comfort, a light in the darkness. Children will whisper their wishes to it before they close their eyes to dream. It will stay there, fast and true, for all of time." (187)
As If we hadn't learned from living with our shattered mother and her monstrous spawn that all the women can do in this world is take what she wants from it and crush those who would stand in her way before they break her into fragments like Pasiphae. (233)
The price we paid for the resentment, the lust, and the greed of arrogant men was our pain, shining and bright like the blade of a newly honed knife. Dionysus had once seemed to me the best of them all, but I saw him now for what he was, no different from the mightiest of the gods. Or the basest of men. (299)

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pkc's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I’ve had this book a while and it didn’t disappoint in any way. The story was engaging, the prose was exquisite and the characters were so brilliantly realised. I thought the ending was mind blowing and when I initially finished, I couldn’t quite process what I’d just read. But a bit of reflection and I absolutely got it. Jennifer Saint needs all the pats on the back and accolades for this book! Can’t wait to read more of her work.

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gc_epub's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The timeline/pacing of the book was kinda weird, but I enjoyed the plot twists and moral gray of the characters’ personalities and choices.

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sarahsbooklife's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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yannic_rasmus's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

A beautifully tragic retelling of another woman in Greek mythology who deserved better.
Wonderful writing style, captivating characters and very true to the original source material.
Also recommended for fans of Madeline Miller's "Circe"!

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ibjilln's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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emilywemily6's review against another edition

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adventurous dark lighthearted sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I really enjoyed this book! I listened to the audiobook and I thought it was really good. This story is a simple retelling of some women of Greek mythology, and I kept having to stop myself mid book so I wouldn’t go check Wikipedia for what happened to these characters before I read it in this book. It was intriguing and had some strong themes throughout; it definitely had a moral to the story and gave me some things to think about, but it was a little shallow in its storytelling. Like others have mentioned, it didn’t show much, only told you straight out what happened. But I enjoyed listening to it and want to dive back into Greek mythologies and retellings!

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theblushbookworm's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

My heart breaks for the women of this story: Ariadne, Phaedra, Pasiphae, Seleme, the Argive women. Men sucking is truly ancient. If you’re a fan of Greek mythology retellings, particularly Circe by Madeleine Miller, definitely pick up Ariadne.

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milliemoo207's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

parts 1 and 2 were beautiful, the writing the plot and the characters. part 3 and 4 were just a mindfuck and i cant believe that i got tricked into loving both thesus and dionysus and then saw them get completely ruined. the ending happened so fast and ariadne was smart enough to know not to look into perseus’ shield and it felt a bit forced. it was so sad when dionysus took all the babies just before it was said that neither dionysus or ariadne (obviously) wouldnt go back to naxos and their sons had to grow up without them all ariadne wanted was an adventure:( the goat chapter was so disturbing idek what to think
anyways fav quotes:

“I danced for the end of everything I knew and the beginning of everything I did not. Beyond the palace walls, bulls lowed long and loud as they were led to the gates ready for sacrifice. In the temples incense burned, sending sweet smoke to the heavens in preparation for the blood that would follow, spilled to honour the gods. And far beneath my dancing feet, hooves rumbled impatiently, and as the sun reached its triumphant zenith in the sky above, the Minotaur bellowed in the blackness below.”

“The gods do not know love because they cannot imagine an end to anything they enjoy. Their passions do not burn brightly as a mortal's passions do, because they can have whatever they desire for the rest of eternity. How could they cherish or treasure anything?”

“I cannot love another immortal. I see them, vain and stupid, puffed up with their own importance and their petty cruelties. Mortals may age, but the gods are prisoners of their own infantile whimsies, never capable of change and never knowing what it is to love because they dare not risk the suffering of loss?”

“'A trinket can be lost,' he answered.
I suppressed the fuming reply I wanted to give.
It can be stolen, it can be twisted or tarnished and lose its lustre, he went on. I want no gift that I give to you to be so transient. And so I took it from your head, where it can only look dull in comparison to your radiance, and I put it somewhere it will shine forever. He cupped my cheek in his hand and lifted my chin to the dark bowl of the night sky. 'See the new constellation there?
In the eternity of night, I saw the brand new pinpricks of light that shone in a sweeping arc. The lustre of my crown, now a fiery illumination against the darkness.”

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